QSR1876/1/5/4

Depositions and examination - (i) Charles Duncombe the younger of Leighton Buzzard, charged with stealing 2 gold chains, 2 gold lockets, one gold whistle, one silver pencil case, one collar stud (partly gold), 3 silver watches, 2 pieces of silver, one silver watch case, a piece of silver spoon, one silver thimble, an old sixpence and a knife, total value £21 from his master Joseph Spiers at Leighton Buzzard on about 16 September 1875. (ii) Frederick Turner charged with receiving one gold chain value £4 from Charles Duncombe knowing it to have been stolen from his master Joseph Spiers. Turner discharged and his evidence taken against Duncombe.

16 November 1875

From: 1875 To: 1876

Joseph Spiers of Leighton Buzzard, silversmith – Charles Duncombe has been in his employ and Frederick Turner has worked on his premises. About 2 months ago in September he missed sundry articles of jewellery. Most were in his shop window and some in his writing desk which was unlocked. He did not suspect anyone. The gold chain produced is his. On 20 September it was brought to him by Alfred Forth. The gold chain and locket produced is his and was brought to him at the latter end of October by Susan Blinco. The stud and gold whistle and chain are also his. He has not seen anything of the other articles. [Cross-examined] He did not notice how the gold chain brought to him by Forth had been cleaned. It was roughly handled and scratched. He has seen similar chains manufactured with base metal. An inexperienced person might suppose it was base metal. He does not remember seeing Turner when Forth brought him the chain. He believes Forth told him someone was outside but did not say who. His boy, a child of 8 years of age, told him he had taken the chain and given it to Duncombe. Forth said Turner had offered him the chain for sale. He offered to pay Turner, who he understood was outside, for his trouble. [Second cross-examination] Forth said he had had the chain valued and it was worth £4. Duncombe was putting up the shutters when Forth came. He understood that Turner was a drayman at Mr Ashdown’s, a brewer at Leighton. The value of the case of the largest watch he lost would be about 6s and the smaller 3s as old silver. When Forth brought the chain back he had his child brought downstairs. Duncombe was then present. He asked where he got the chain – he said Joe gave it to him. He asked the child in Duncombe’s presence if he gave Charles the chain. The child said “yes, I had it out of the window”. Duncombe said nothing more. The child said he gave Duncombe nothing else. Duncombe did not contradict him. His child Joey was 8 years old last birthday. John Olden, police sergeant stationed at Leighton Buzzard - on 28 October he was making enquiries about the property and saw Turner. He asked Turner if he had bought a watch guard on a chain. Turner said he bought one from a boy named Duncombe who was standing against Muddimans Passage (Spiers lives next door to Muddiman). Duncombe said he had a chain to sell and wanted a shilling for it. Turner offered 10d and said Duncombe agreed. Turner gave Duncombe 5 ½ d and was to pay the rest at another time. Turner said he had sold the guard to Alfred Forth who had it tested, found it was gold and took it back to Spiers. Joseph Hedges, clerk employed by Frederick Emery of Leighton Buzzard, grocer – he knows Turner. About 7 weeks ago he saw Turner with a chain similar to the one produced. Turner was giving it to Alfred Forth to look at in his master’s office. He was asked to take it to Mr Frost the silversmith to test. He took it to Mr Frost and saw Mrs Frost test it by putting a liquid on it. She said it was gold. Turner said he had bought it from a man he did not know coming up the street for 10d. He brought the chain back to his master’s office and gave it to Forth. Alfred Forth, clerk employed by Frederick Emery of Leighton Buzzard, grocer – about 7 or 8 weeks ago Turner came to Mr Emery’s with a chain. Turner asked him to buy it and wanted 4s. He offered 3s 6d and Turner let him have it. On examining the chain he found it was stamped. He sent Hedges to Mr Frost to have it tested. Hedges returned and said it was gold. Turner was then in the yard, having left after he was paid the 3s 6d. Turner said he bought the chain from a chap who was hard up. He took Turner on one side and told him he thought there was something wrong about the chain as it turned out to be gold. He asked Turner to tell the truth. Turner then said he bought it from a boy who works for Mr Spiers. Turner asked him to go to Mr Spiers and they went there together. Turner waited outside. He told Spiers he bought the chain from Turner who said he had bought it from Spiers’s boy who worked for him. Spiers called Duncombe and asked him where he got the chain. Duncombe said “from your son”. The son was called in, a little boy about 8 years old, and his father asked where he got the chain. The child said “out of the window and I gave it to Duncombe”. [Cross-examined] He thought he was giving the right value for the chain. When he told Turner the chain was gold Turner said “then the boy I bought it of could not have come by it honestly. Turned gave him the 3s 6d back and said “let us take the chain back to Mr Spiers”. A boy was putting up the shutters when he was a Spiers’s with Turner. He told Spiers that Turner was outside and had come with him to return the chain. Albert John Blinco, son of Susan and George Blinco – he is 13 years old and is page boy to Mr Ashdown the brewer at Leighton. On 13 September he bought a chain from Duncombe. Duncombe wanted 5s for it at first and said he gave 5s 6d to Mrs Spiers for it and that the locket was in his mother’s box and she told him to sell it. He saw Duncombe again the next day who said he had asked his mother what he was to sell it for and she told him for as much as he liked. He bought the chain from Duncombe for 2s 6d. He wore the chain one day then gave it to his mother. When Duncombe gave him the chain he [Duncombe] had a double cased silver watch with him. Duncombe said his mother gave it to him. Susan Blinco, wife of George Blinco of Leighton Buzzard, drayman – her husband is a drayman at Mr Ashdown’s Brewery. On 27 October she received the chain and locket produced from her son Albert John Blinco. She took it to Mr Spiers’ apprentice David Kiteley and gave it to him outside the shop. Her son told her he bought it from Charley Duncombe. David Kiteley, apprentice to Joseph Spiers – on 27 October he saw Mrs Blinco at Mr Spiers’ shop. He heard her son had bought a chain from Duncombe. He asked Mrs Blinco to get it back. She brought the locket and chain produced to him. Samuel Holmes of Leighton Buzzard, labourer – he is almost 12 years old and lives with his parents at Leighton. He knows Charles Duncombe and that he works for Mr Spiers the silversmith. More than a month ago Duncombe gave him some silver to sell for him – the case of watch bent about. It was in 3 or 4 bits. He went to Mr Frost the silversmith in North Street. Duncombe went with him but stood outside the shop and told him to go in. Duncombe said it was his father’s watch and the works were rusty. He saw Mr Frost and his wife. Frost asked how much he wanted for the silver. Frost then asked how much he wanted for the silver. They agreed 1s 3d. Frost weighed it first. He gave Duncombe the 1s 3d and Duncombe gave him a penny. Thomas Holmes of Leighton Buzzard, labourer – he is 12 years old and lives with his parents. He is a cousin of Samuel Holmes. He knows Duncombe. More than a month ago Duncombe gave him the back of a watch and some pieces of silver and asked him to sell them for him. He went to Mr Frost’s. Duncombe stayed outside the shop. He asked Mr Frost asked what he wanted for the silver. He replied “as much as it is worth”. Frost weighted it and gave him 2s. Frost asked his name and he told him. He gave Duncombe the 2s and Duncombe gave him a penny. William Shepherd, police superintendent for Leighton Buzzard division – on 27 October he went to Mr Spiers’ shop. He received from Spiers the 2 gold chains and a locket attached to one. The next day he went to Waddesden (Bucks). He saw Duncombe at his mother’s house there. He told Duncombe he was there about the watches, chains and whistle he had from Mr Spiers. Duncombe said he never had any watches or chains except one that was his father’s. He saw the stud produced in Duncombe’s shirt. He asked where Duncombe got it. Duncombe said “I bought it of Colr who goes with a roundabout. He took Duncombe into custody and took him to Leighton. After getting out at the railway station Duncombe said he did have the whistle and it was in the box where the baby linen is. On 29 October Duncombe told him he thought it would be best to tell the truth. Duncombe said that Spiers’ child brought him the first thing, which was some silver out of drawer (an old sixpence), a piece of a spoon, an old thimble and another piece of silver. Duncombe sold them to Mrs Frost for a penny for the sixpence and 3d for the rest, and they divided the money. After that Mr Spiers child brought Duncombe the watches, the chains, the whistle lockets and a pencil case. Duncombe would not have the pencil case and the child took it back. Duncombe sold the two chains and offered the watches for sale but could not sell them. The watches were then broken up and some of the works thrown away. One of the works was put away in Mr Spiers’ work shop. The two Holmes took the cases of 2 of the watches and sold them to Mr Frost. The other watch case was chopped into 4 pieces by Mr Spiers’ little boy and Duncombe threw them into the river near Mr Willis’s gateway. Frederick Turner of Leighton Buzzard, labourer – he was a drayman at a brewery. He received a chain from Charles Duncombe about 7 or 8 weeks ago near to Mudddimans Printing Office at Leighton. Muddimans shop is next door to Spiers the silversmith. The chain was similar to the one produced. He cleaned it up. He did not know it was gold. He took the chain to Mr Emery’s shop and showed it to Alfred Forth, who bought it for 3s 6d. Joseph Hedges went to Mr Frost’s, came back and said it was gold. He gave Forth the 3s 6d back and went with Forth to Mr Spiers’ shop. Duncombe was putting up the shutters at his shop. He told Duncombe he had brought the chain back. Duncombe said “you are a silly for bringing it back – you’ll get me into a row”. Forth went into Mr Spiers shop and prisoner Duncombe was called in. He stood outside. Charles Duncombe – reserves his defence

item

Duncombe, Charles,
Turner, Frederick,
Spiers, Joseph,
Olden, John,
Hedges, Joseph,
Forth, Alfred,
Emery, Frederick,
Blinco, Susan,
Blinco, George,
Blinco, Albert John,
Kiteley, David,
Holmes, Samuel,
Holmes, Thomas,
Shepherd, William,
Ashdown,
Willis,
Muddiman

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, Leighton Buzzard North Street, stealing, JEWELLERY, gold, silversmith, police sergeant, grocer, police superintendent, brewers, printer